Archive for 'Plastics'

Yes, you read that correctly: Charleston County Recycling is now accepting all plastics for curbside pickup! This means you can start throwing plastics labeled #3, #4, #5, #6, and #7 into your blue bin along with the #1 and #2 plastics. They will accept all plastics except plastic wrap, plastic bags, and Styrofoam (all things […]

What: Natural Rubber Teether Where: DwellSmart When: Today! Why: 100% natural How Much: $18.95 This baby toy from Vulli would be a great gift for that green rug rat in your life, especially if they are teething. Sophie the Giraffe, as she has been known since 1961, is produced manually in France with 100% natural […]

A big part of charting our family’s progress is keeping track of the “since we’ve used” items (3 years since we’ve used paper napkins, 2.5 years since we’ve used plastic bags, 2 years since we’ve used bottled water, etc). There seem to be many things that end of up in the landfill after once use, […]

I’ve been getting conflicting emails and information about Waste Industries accepting plastics #1 though #7 for recycling in the Summerville area. Being able to recycle plastics #3, 4, 5, and 6 is the Holy Grail of reclamation, and would be HUGE for our area. Plastic #7 cannot be recycled anywhere, which makes me question the […]

This post originally ran last holiday season, but I think it’s an important reminder to everyone… Driving all around town shopping for holiday gifts is a resource hog – too much time, too much gas, too much hassle. That’s why I’ve turned to Amazon.com year after year to help reduce my trips into the seasonal […]

Foam packing peanuts have protected our shipped items since the seventies, but scientists are only now realizing their impact on the environment. That’s because these protectors of all things fragile are often made from polystyrene (plastic #6), a resin that does not biodegrade, is resistant to photolysis, and has become a chief component in the […]

While we’re trying to use fewer nasty chemicals around the house, we still end up with leftover paint, gas, cleaners, antifreeze, and other sludge that needs to be disposed of properly…which can sometimes be challenging. 92% of all poison exposure cases occur in our homes, 87% of which are accidental (makes you wonder about that […]

Well, Summer is over, and I’ve made it through without drinking bottled water yet again. Fifteen months ago, I began reading articles about the environmental impact of bottled water, so I decided to give it up. Similar to my decision to stop using disposable bags when shopping, giving up bottled water had been incredibly easy […]

As you might imagine, we get asked a lot of questions about how to go green here in Charleston. Out of all of those questions, there is one that gets asked more often than all the others: How do I get a blue recycling bin? It’s extremely easy to get a free blue recycling bin […]